Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway

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LTA launches events in KPE ahead of opening

SINGAPORE: Be the first to drive through South East Asia's longest underground road tunnel, the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) tunnel before it fully opens on September 20.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is giving 400 people a chance to race through the unopened nine-kilometre span north of Sims Avenue in a car rally. The rally will be held on September 6.

Motorists who want to participate should form a team of four per car. The race will include a series of tasks and challenges that participants would have to complete.

The idea is to get motorists familiar with the KPE and the road network in its vicinity.

There is also a greener way of exploring the KPE tunnel. Take part in the first ever 10-kilometre tunnel run, or the five-kilometre fun walk and run on September 14.

On the same day, the LTA also aims to break the Guinness World Records by creating the largest lantern parade in the tunnel. A stretch of the KPE will be dimmed for that purpose. - CNA/yb

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Safety Signs Installed on Top of KPE Tunnel Entrances to Keep Safe
Driving Habits at the Top of Motorists’ Minds

1. With only ten more days to go before the official opening of the full 12km long Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE), LTA is reminding motorists to drive safely whenever they enter the KPE tunnel.

2. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has installed safety signs on top of eight selected tunnel entrances to the KPE from 8 September. These signs carry safe driving tips such as keep within the speed limits, turn on headlights, and turn on radio, while driving in the KPE tunnel. These signs will be displayed for a period of six months, till March 2009.

3. These unique safety signs are part of a comprehensive KPE safety education programme to remind motorists driving in the KPE of the need to drive safely.

4. Please refer to Annex A for visuals of the safety signs.

5. Apart from the safety signs, motorists can also look forward to a series of safety messages that will be broadcast on radio from 15-19 September during the morning drive time.

6. On 14 September, LTA is also hosting Swing KPE, a large scale community event that will include run/walk races and myriad of activities to benefit the annual President Challenge. Apart from raising money for charity, the goal is also to bring as many members of the public as possible into close contact with the tunnel before opening to learn more about tunnel features and safety.

7. "The unique safety signs at the tunnel entrances and radio messages all help to draw motorists' attention to the message of safe driving in a long tunnel. We also want to use the Swing KPE event to have the public know where the tunnel is and how to access surrounding neighbourhoods," said Acting Group Director for Corporate Communications, Mrs. Tammie Loke.

8. Motorists can also find out more about the KPE and plan their routes via the KPE underground portal at www.kpeunderground.sg. The enhanced website with exciting new features will be launched on 19 September

9. A safety card on safe tunnel driving habits and emergency procedures adapted into four languages - English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil - will also be distributed to motorists with The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao, Berita Harian and Tamil Murasu on 18 October. Motorists are encouraged to keep this safety card in their vehicles to remind them of the safe driving habits when driving in the KPE.

10. The 12-km KPE stretches from the East Coast Parkway (ECP) to the Tampines Expressway (TPE). Nine kilometres of the expressway is underground, making the KPE the longest underground expressway in South-East Asia.

^tamago^ SG

so colourful sia Laughing

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4 more days to opening..

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2 more days to opening..

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KPE to fully open to traffic this Saturday

SINGAPORE : The Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) is finally ready and will be fully opened to traffic this Saturday at 10 am.

Part of the tunnel was opened under the first phase about a year ago.

More than 14,000 light fittings ensure that the transition from the bright sunlight into the KPE tunnel is easy on the eye - while ensuring the interior is well lit.

But once inside, motorists will have to get used to the speed limit of 70 kilometres per hour, much lower than the Central Expressway tunnel's speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour.

Marcus Karakashian, director, Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway, Land Transport Authority, said: "(The) KPE is not a straight tunnel...the tunnel has some long sweeping bends. There are line of sight issues - high speeds mean long braking distances. If there is an incident around the corner, and you start braking, you are part of the incident."

Cameras which operate round the clock will help enforce the speed limit.

But if speeds go down, 16 Electronic Road Pricing gantries erected throughout the KPE could be switched on, at some point.

Within the tunnel, there is a whole host of features to ensure this longest road tunnel in Southeast Asia - 9 kilometres in all - stays safe.

Different types of cameras can spot stationary vehicles and people, as well as zoom in on incidents.

All these measures have helped give KPE the green light to open after two years of assessment by an independent team.

But with the recent incident of a photographer fainting in the tunnel during a community event, what is the quality of air inside?

The tunnel has powerful nozzles, which blow in fresh air in the event that carbon monoxide fumes and temperatures build up in the tunnel. They are also far more useful in the event of an incident like a fire, when there is a need to blow in fresh air for people who may be stuck inside the tunnel. And just further down the tunnel, bad air is blown out of the exits to ventilation buildings which are at road surface level.

In addition, a team of nine Traffic Marshalls is deployed round the clock to arrive at an accident spot within eight minutes to control traffic problems. - CNA/ms

QX179R SG

opened today & anybody tried driving thru the whole expressway yet..

Pitot SG

drove thru the old part. absolutely no intention to use it unless needed. boring!!!!

precieux SG

name me blur/blind or idiert..i cant find any exit to nicoll from KPE(ecp) direction...and end up i hit ecp..paid double for erp...the only exit i see from my direction to city is the one and one exit which states to pie(changi) or pie (tuas) . Am i supposed to hit on one of the roads so that I can find my exit 2A nicoll?

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